On June 11, a Minnesota man admitted to orchestrating a chilling attack that left a state lawmaker and her husband dead, and another legislator and his wife wounded, in a plea deal that spares him the death penalty. Vance Luther Boelter, 58, changed his plea to guilty on all counts in federal court, including two counts of murder through a firearm, stalking, and firearms violations tied to the June 14, 2025, shootings.
The violence began in the early morning hours when Boelter, disguised as a police officer with a hyper-realistic silicone mask and a flashing-light SUV, targeted the homes of Democratic-Farmer-Labor party members. He first arrived at the home of State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, around 2 a.m., knocking and shouting he was law enforcement before opening fire. Both were injured but survived, and their daughter, Hope, escaped unharmed after Boelter attempted to shoot her.
Boelter then drove to other lawmakers’ homes, encountering police at one and fleeing. By 3:30 a.m., he reached the residence of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Using the same police ruse, he shot and killed Mark Hortman in the entryway, then fatally shot Melissa Hortman as she ran upstairs. The family’s golden retriever, Gilbert, was also killed. Police arrived for a welfare check and exchanged gunfire, but Boelter escaped.
The attacks, described by prosecutors as an act of political extremism, sparked the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. Boelter was captured on June 15 near Green Isle, Minnesota. Inside his abandoned SUV, authorities found writings listing other officials and papers reading “No Kings,” tied to protests that day. A letter to the FBI contained a confession and bizarre claims that Gov. Tim Walz had asked him to kill lawmakers—a delusion prosecutors dismissed.
Under the plea agreement, prosecutors recommended two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years, a deal accepted by Judge John R. Tunheim. U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen agreed not to seek the death penalty. Boelter’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.
